Knittiktg machine



June 18, 1929. w. w. BURSON KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15. 1922 6 sh t -sh t 1 June 18, 1929. w. w. BURSON KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Q KN June 18, 1929.

w. w. BURSON KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 18, 1929. w, w BURSON 1,717,660

KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Mew 4% 62mm June 18, 1929. w. w. BURSON KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 6 Sheet-Sheet e June 18, 1929. w. w. BURSON I KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15. 1922 Y lillllll Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

WILSON BURSON, 0F ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

KNITTING MACHINE.

Original application filed February 15, 1922, Serial No. 536,652. Divided and this'application filedJuly 17, 1926. Serial No. 123,070. Y

This invention relates in general to knitting machines andwhile from many aspects it-has more particular reference to the machines of the character shown in my earlier Patents, No. 944,011, granted December 21,

1909; 996,059, granted June 27, 1.911 94 1912,

granted December 21, 1909; 1,531,272, granted March 31, 1925; 1,025,182, granted May 7, 1912; 1,172,764, granted February 22, 1916; and 1,201,691, granted October 17, 1916, it will be readily understood that the invention has other and valuable use in machines of other character.

This is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 536,652, filedFebruary 15, 1922, and has particular reference to the loop length determining means or the means for arying the length of loop during knitting.

An important object of this invention is to provide a knitting machine with means for Varying the length of loops formed in knitting in accordance with the texture of the material being knitted, and to effect a diiferent variation of the loops at or intermediate the ends of the needle bed so that when a machine is knitting a garment, a portion of which is formed of a coarse yarn and another portion of which is formed of a finer yarn or yarn a d'iifer-ent texture, the length of the loops on the portions of the bed on which the different textures of yarn are being used can be varied to compensate for the difference in the yarns for producing a garment the to);- ture of which is substantially uniform. In knitting machines provided heretofore it has not been possible to vary or control the length of the loops formed in knitting to produce a variation in the texture of the material at different portions of the garment or to conipensate for such variations that are natural or caused by the yarn to produce a fabric of uniform texture.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a knitting machine particularly adapted for the knitting of hosiery and which may be relied upon to produce a stocking having a lisle toe, sole and heel, and a silk top or body and instep, the texture of which will be substantially uniform.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 1s a slde elevational. View of a knitting machine embodying my invention with parts thereof broken away,

Flg. 2, is a section taken substantiallv on l1ne 22 in Fig. 1, i J

Fig. 3, is a top plan View of the loop determming control bar,

F g. 4, is a bottom plan view of the same.

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged sections taken substantially on lines 5-5 and 66 respec tively in Fig. 3,

Figs. 7 and 8 are sections taken substantially on lines 7-7 and 8-8 respectively in Fig. 1,

Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged detail views of the knitting edge of the needle bed shown in Fig. and showing the various parts in two positions,

Fig. 11 is an enlarged top plan View of a cam carrying bar,

fFig. 12 is a partial bottom plan view there- 0 Fig. 13 is a view of a cam eccentric control with the parts disassembled;

Fig. 1 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the effect obtained by shifting the yarn shedding devices through the cam bar about its pivot to Vary the action thereof;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged diagrammatic view showing the texture of knitted fabric and the preferred form of joining the knitted mate rial intermediate the ends of the needle bed; and

Figs. 16 and 17 are diagrammatic views illustrating the preferred method of simultaneously knitting two halves of a garment using two yarns of different colors or of different qualities. N

Fig. 18 is a cross-section taken along the line 18-18 of Fig. 11, showing the action of the cam plate more in detail.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in the drawings a completelv organize l knitting machine in which all of the several features are embodied. This machine is provided with two needle beds, each carrying a set of needles, arranged 1n inclined position, in parallel relation and sufficiently close together to permit the knitting to occur continuously up along one side and then back along the other, to form an article, such as a stocking, without a seam and which may be shaped as may be desired by varying the number of needles actually knitting. The thread in a thread-carrier is reciprocated back and forth over the needle beds in position to be engaged by the needles, the needles being projected by pattern mechanism into knitting position, slightly in advance of the forward movement of the threadcarrier, and returned immediately after the :passing of the thread-carrier with yarn to be carried through a previously formed loop, which upon the casting "off of this previously formed loop forms a new loop retained in the needle.

This machine comprises a frame 51 of any suitable or preferred construction having a base 52 adapted to rest on the floor, and an upper port-ion 53 carrying the operative parts. A power shaft 54 is mounted in suitable bearings on the upper frame portion 53 which is or may be provided with fixed and idle pulleys 56 and 57, the former of which is suitably attached to deliver power to the machine. Any suitable pinion may be mounted on the shaft 54 to mesh with a gear 59 upon a shaft 61 carried in suitable hearings on the frame. The shaft 61 controls and pro duces, through Various instrmnentalities, most of the act-ions of the knitting parts with the exception of the knitting movement of the yarn carrier, the movement of the knitting cams, and the setting of the loop-length-determining devices.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the gear 59 is in effect a crank disk, being connected at 81 With a connecting rod 82 that is in turn connected with a lever 83 fulerumed at its lower end 84 to a link 85 pivoted at 85 to the base 52 and connected at its upper end at 87 with a cross-head 88 which reciprocates the thread carrier and the cam bars also, as disclosed more fully in my earlier patents mentioned. It is to be noted that the mechanism operating the cross-head 88 is fixed and that the cross-head reciprocates continuously throughout a predetermined and definite travel.

My machine contemplates, among other features of novelty, an entirely automatic control of the movement of pattern members 76 and of the container 91 for the thread carriers, which will be later described, for varyin g the thread used (as from silk to lisle, etc.) This control is adapted to progressively advance the pattern members to vary the particular needles projected, to hold said pattern members stationary so that the same needles will be projected on knitting stroke after knit-ting stroke and to impart to said pattern members alternate forward and reverse movements to present, in any desired sequence, portions of the pattern members to the needle jack levers.

The machine contemplates also automatic substitutions of yarn at different periods of knitting, and the control of the yarn substitution is interlocked With and forms a part of the control of the knitting patterns. Three yarn carriers for substitution are provided. One of these is indicated by reference character 9&- (Fig. 2) and they are all supported normally in a container 91 (Fig. 1) mounted to reciprocate in suitable guides in the container 91 arranged at the end of the thread of yarn carrier travel in knitting. A suitable mechanism is or may be provided to substitute yarn carriers as desired and in the present instance this is accomplished by shifting the container 91 to one side or the other of a central position for effecting a change of yarn.

Gate wheels or similar devices are provided for the control and actuation of pattern members 76, several of which may be used in the machine. The gate wheel or substitute mechanism is or may be arranged to hold the pattern members in stationary position or cause them to rotate in one direction or the other substantially at the time of the reversal of movement of the cross-head and cooperating devices so that a change of pattern may be had at either or both ends of the machine. The pattern members 7 6 are or may be drumshaped with active pattern parts upon their surfaces. Under the action of a suitable gate Wheel and control the pattern members 76 are first moved in one direction and then back in the opposite direction in accordance with the arrangement of the control, that is. the pattern members under the control. may be turned in one direction to present successive pattern parts to the needle jack levers, and be turned in the opposite direction to knit under the influence of a previously used pattern arrangement. The pattern members may stand still for a part of the time or while a particular pattern arrangement is desired throughout a plurality of successive knitting strokes.

The action of the pattern members 76 is to swing needle jack levers 77 to lift jacks 78 from an inoperative to an operative position. A description of the pattern construction, the jack levers 77, and the jack 78, is not believed necessary since these are fully described in my co-pending application and in earlier Patents Nos. 819,407; 928,244.; 944,011; sh ne; 996,059; 1,025,182; 1,172,76 and 12011591.

Referring to Fig. 2, reference character 217 indicates the main member of each needle bed. This member is preferably slotted as indicated at 218 to receive operating plates 219 forming partitions between the needles, jacks, and levers. Two bars 222 and 223, similarly slotted at 224 to engage the top edges of the separator plates 219. are or may be supported on suitable end plates or other parts of the frame in any suitable manner. The needle beds, which include the above mentioned parts, are preferably mounted in inclined position, and a needle, a jack '78, and jack lever 77 are positioned between each pair of separator plates, the jack levers 77 being pivoted upon a suitable cross rod 26. The top bars 222' and 2223 provide guides for knitting cam slides 227.

The jacks 73 are provided with slots through which the two cams 232 and 233 pass,-the one to project the needle and the other to retract it. (Fig. 2.) The cams 232 and 233 are mounted upon the pivot plate 229 "for accurate adjustment. This adjustment is effected by swinging then) about the pivot centers 234, which are preferably shown as being at those ends of the cams which are adjacent each other.

The outer end of each cam is provided with a shoulder stud 235 arranged in a recess 237 of aneccentric mounting 238, i. e., the recess 237 and the stud are eccentric with respect to the axis of movement of the mounting. (Figs. 11, 12 and 13). One said mounting is fixed in adjusted position by a screw 230 taking into plate 229, and the other is fixed in adjusted position by screws 230 which thread mto holes 230 in a sluttablc carrier bracket 239 arranged on the top of the plate 229 and havmg an offset arm 241 carrying a stud 242. Carrier bracket 239 is formed with a bore 239, in which fits the correspondingly shaped eccentric mounting 238 having the recess 237 in which fits the stud 235 fixed to the face of the carrier. The end of the arm 241 is oppositely beveled at 243 to be engaged by a spring 244 to hold the arm and mounting in assumed positions. The stud 242 is adapted to be moved upon occasion to shift the position of the cam slightly by a mechanism associated with a separate loop length determining mechanism to be presently described.

The cams travel normally above the nibs of the jack and are depressed by moving down the pivot plate 229 against the pressure of spring 246 and into position to engage the jacks 78 on active lmittingstrokes. This is accomplished by a four-toothed wheel 245 carried by the cam slide 227 and located at the side of the pivot plate 229. This wheel is adapted to engage an arm246 extending out from a bracket secured to the plate 229 (Figs. 8 and 11) into position to be depressed by a. tooth oi": the wheel against the pressure of the spring; 246 or to be elevated between the two by the spring 246' which is or may be suitably mounted substantially as shown and arranged to normally urge the plate 229 in a clock-wise direction about the pivot 231 thereof. Near each end of the knitting stroke suitable pawls, or like devices, may be arranged for each cam slide that will engage a ratchet wheel 249 fixed with or arranged to co-operate with each toothed. wheel 245 to move the toothed wheel sutlicient to cause required movement of the wheel. 245 for raising and lowering the knitting cams to the plate 229.

From any suitable yarn feed and control members yarn extends directly into a yarn carrier 94 which constitutes a slide movable in guides 95, and the carrier 94 is reciprocated across the needle bed by the cross-head 88 to supply yarn to the needles for knittine.

The present embodiment of my invention is arranged to knit stockings having what is commonly termed lisle toe and heel, and a split foot, that is, the lower portion of the foot being lisle and the upper portion of the footbeing silk or other material, and a top or body of silk or other material. In order to knit the split foot or the part where the sole is of one material and the top of another, it is necessary or advantageous to progressively knit the two halves or sole and top. and simultaneously join them together. The portion of the stocking immediately above the heel is similarly knit, exceptthat the same kind of yarn is used on both halves, the one on the back of the stocking being heavier than the one on the front on account of the wear at this point. To accomplish this. I have arranged the machine to begin knitting at an end of the needle bed, as indicated at A (Fig. 16), and knit to a point B, which may be any point intermediate the ends of the needle bed, then back to A, crossing to the opposite side of the bed to C, and knittingto D, and then knitting back to C. This may represent either the top or the bottom half of a stocking. The yarn used for this knitting is then thrown out of action and another yarn is substituted therefor with which knitting is commenced at B, as shown 17). This yarn is knitted to E, crossing to the other side of the bed to F, then to D, then returning to F crossing back to the original. side of the bed, then to B and out. It will be noted that the knitting will be connected at C and A, so as to form onehalf of a stocking, since the same yarn that passed out at C re-enters at A. Likewise, the yarn that is used for the opposite half of the stocking returns again at B and repeats to form the other half of the stocking. If the points B and D represent one or more needles, there will be an overlapping of yarn at each course of knitting and a prominent seam would be formed at the joint. It the points B and D represent a position between two needles, there will be no connection between the two halves. I prefer to arrange the machine so as to overlap on one course of knitting and not to connect on the next, so that the joint will be formed by alternate overlapping and open courses, as illustrated (Fig. 15) and as will be described later. This is accomplished by manipulation of the knitting cams and the pattern member 7 6 to control the position of the needles so that the knitting will be accomplished as above mentioned.

Means are provided for determining aecurately the length of loop formed in the knitting operation and for varying the length of loop between the opposite ends of the needle bed so that yarn or materials of different characteristics may be alternately knitted into the same garment and so that the finished product will be substantially uniform in texture. In the apparatus shown on the drawings the needles are of the latch type and itwill be understood that spring barb or other needles may be substituted therefor if desired. The needles are projected by the knit-ting cam to receive yarn and are retracted with the yarn so received, and as an incident to the retracting movement of the needle there is a resultant shedding off of an old loop of yarn and the production of a new loop, the yarn held in the needle being drawn through the old loop to form the new one. Any suitable means may be provided to move down on each side of the newly formed loop to push down the old loop and thus determine the length of the new loop by the extent of the pushing down action and to accomplish this I have shown guide members mounted above the needle beds and consisting of a base plate indicated by reference character 351 and top plates 352 and 353 (Fig. 2). These plates are arranged with slots for reciprocating slides 354;, one of which is arranged between each pair of needles and is formed at its forward end to provide a recess 355 for engaging the cast off yarn. The .upper end of each slide is provided with a nib 356 adapted for engagement in a sliding cam bar 357, this cam bar being shown in detail in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. Figure 4; shows a bottom plan view of the slide cam 357 from which it will be noted that this cam has a single retraction part 358 adapted to lift the slides 354 slightly in advance of the instant of knitting and to return the slides to loop-length-determining position when the yarn is in best condition for this measurement to occur, as fully described in my eo-pending application. This is at the instant when the old loop is shed off or at the instant of knitting.

The cam slides 357 are extended back and connected to the cross-head 88, and this connection is preferably a lost motion one which will permit an alteration of relative positions of the cam slides upon the forward and return knitting strokes but may be otherwise connected or connected to accommodate the form of the knitting cam. To effect the lost motion the rear end of each slide 357 is provided with two cleats 401 arranged on opposite sides of a cross-head bracket 402 (Fig. 1) on which the rear end of the cam slide rests. The cross-head 88 is reciprocated by arm 83 to drive the slide 357 through the cross-head bracket 402 which is or may be attached to the cross-head in any suitable manner and the cleats 401 that are fastened to the slide 357 on opposite sides of the cross-head bracket and formed to abut thereagainst in any suitable manner, the cleats being positioned apart appropriate distances to have the loop-lengthdetermining action occur with the same lag behind the projection of the needles in each plirlection of reciprocation across the needle The plate 352 in which the slide 357 moves and is guided (see Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive) is pivoted at 359 to a bracket 361 so as to pivot about the pivot 359 (Fig. 3) in a plane parallel to the plane of movement of the pushers 354 (see Fig. 2) whereby to vary the operative stroke of the pusher for controlling the knittting tension or for varying the normal tension of the pushers to cause them to draw the loops down to a greater extent on one end of the needle bed than on the other so that when a heavier yarn is used or when a tighter knitting is required at one end of the machine, this may be effected by shifting the slide about the pivot 359. This plate 352 is also adjustably connected to this bracket, this adjustable connection consisting of a plate 363 formed on the bracket 361 (see Figs. 3 and 7) which engages in a slot 363 in the plate 352. A spring 36a normally tends to separate the bracket and plate 352. In order to reinforce the connection between the slotted plate 352 and the plate 363 which projects into the slot 363 of the plate 352, the plate 363 is formed with a cut out indicated by dotted lines, as 362 (Fig. A screw 362 passes through the top of plate 352, through the cut out 362 in plate 363, and then into the lower portion of plate 352. When plate 352 is shifted about its pivotal axis 359 the screw 362 rides freely in the cut out 362. Two threaded studs 365 extend from the bracket and are secured to a cross shaft 366 which is supported by two connectors 367 fast on a shaft 368 which is pivoted in supporting brackets 369 (see Figs. 1. and 7). The shaft 368 is adapted to be oscillated to vary the length of the loop uniformly across the needle bed as the particular conditions of knitting may require from time to time in the formation of the garment. Any suitable means may be provided to oscillate the shaft 368, and to accomplish this in the present instance I have shown an arm 371 (Figs. 1 and 7) fast on the shaft 368 and extending down to an end of the pattern member 76 to which one or more cams 372 may be suitably secured and one or more set screws may be provided for oscillating the shaft as required. In the present instance I have shown three set screws, 373, 374 and 375 respectively, positioned above three levers 376 that may be attached to the machine in any suitable manner and are preferably pivoted on the rod 26, each arranged over the face of a cam 372 and arranged to be lifted thereabove by teeth 378 formed on the periphery of each companion disc. The three set screws 373, 374 and 375 are prefer- 'holds the set screw 381 in contact with the needle bed.

To accomplish movement of the slide 352 about the pivot 359 as above mentioned, a bracket 382 is secured beneath an end of the slide to the right (Fig. 5) and this bracket is adapted for engagement by a downwardly extending lip 383 upon a pivot member 384 carried on a pin 385 extending out from the bracket 361. A cam engaging member 386 is also pivoted on the pin 385 and adjusted with respect to the member 384 by a set screw 387. The cam engaging member 386 rides upon the cam 388 formed on an arm 389 (Fig. 8) extending up from a lever 391 pivoted on the rod 26. The upper end of the arm 389 is loosely connected or pivotally connected at 392 with a collar 393 upon the shaft 368. The lever 391 is provided with a tooth 394i engaging a cam disc 395, one of which is or may be suitably mounted on each pattern member 76 so that actuation of the cam disc produces a swinging movement of the cam bar 352 and slide cam 357. A spring 390, that is or may be suitably attached to the frame 53 substantially as shown (Figs. 1 and 8), causes the lever 391 to follow the cam 395. This action is or may be accompanied by a shifting of the knitting cam or needle jack cam 233 through the eccentric mounting 238 previously described. The pin 241-2 is adapted for engagement by a pin 396 having a wedge or double bevelled face, as indicated (Fig. 8). The pin 396 may be formed as a part of or suitably attached to the collar 393 pivoted on the shaft 368 and is adapted to be swung thereby to one side or the other of the axis of the pin 242 to move it in one direction or the other upon the passing of the pin 242 which is carried by the slide 227, as previously described. An arm 397 on the the collar 393 extends out for engagement by step pins 398 and 399 that are or may be suitably located and secured in the needle bed or frame to limit the movement of the arm and collar in each direction. The operation of the machine is wholly automatic and all of the movements of the machine must be predetermined and the pattern members and control cams, including the discs 372 and 395, must be formed in accordance with the desired operation of the machine to control or determine the length of loop through all of the slides 357. The cam discs 372 are provided with teeth 378 that are positioned to rock the shaft 368 when the pattern member 76 is shifted to cause projection of needles that are to effect the knitting, similarly the bar 352 and slide 357 are moved about the pivot 359 of the bar through the cam discs 395 and the connecting mechanism previously described by movement of the pattern member into position to project the desired needles and when the machine is to knit a fabric of relatively close texture and of uniform texture one of the discs 37 2, which is selected according to the desired texture of the material rocks the shaft 368 and consequently moves the slide 357 bodily to the left (Fig. 7). Several different textures of fabric may be obtained through adjustment of the screws 373, 374 and 375, or other like screws. hen two kinds of yarn are being used in the fabric, one on one end of the needle bed and another on the other end of the needle bed or when it is desired to vary the texture of a fabric from one side to the other, the bar 352 and slide 357 are accordingly shifted about the pivot 359 so that during the next knitting stroke the slides 354 will move forward accordingly and vary the shedding or loop-length-determining action as illustrated (Fig. 14) the line YY representing a straight line to which the slides 354 are normally projected or may be projected through rocking of the shaft 368. Through the co-operating pins 342 and 396 the knitting cam 233 is also controlled to retract the needles to a greater or less degree to produce a desired fabric.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a straight knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles mounted thereon and adapted to be projected to receive yarn and to be retracted to knit, yarn shedding devices arranged to cooperate with said needles to determine the length of loop formed, means for adjusting all of the yarn shedding devices uniformly and simultaneously, and separate means for adjusting said devices to form loops of various lengths.

2. In a straight knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles mounted thereon and adapted to be projected to receive yarn and to be retracted to knit, yarn shedding devices arranged to cooperate with said needles to determine the length of loop formed, means for adjusting all of the yarn shedding devices uniformly and simultaneously, and separate means for adjusting said devices to form loops of various lengths, said last mentioned means being also adapted to affect the retracting movement of the needles.

3. In a straight knitting machine, the combination of a needle bed, needles mounted thereon, a knitting cam for effecting knitting movementofthe needles,reciprocating devices for determining the length of loop formed in knitting, a reciprocating cam for actuating said devices, means for supporting said cam in operative position and being adjustable to uniformly vary the length 01 loops formed by changing the amount of travel of the reciprocating devices, said means including a bar pivotally supported, and means for shifting said bar about its pivot to vary the length of loops formed throughout a knitting stroke of the machine.

4. In a straight knitting machine, the combination of a needle bed, needles mounted thereon, a knitting cam for eitecting knitting movementofthe needles,reciprocating devices for determining the length of loop formed in knitting, a reciprocating cam for actuating said devices, means for supporting said cam in operative position and being adjustable to uniformly vary the length of loops formed by changing the amount of travel of the reciprocating devices, said means including a bar pivotally supported, and means for shifting said bar about its pivot to vary the length of loops formed throughout a knitting stroke of the machine, said last mentioned means being adapted to vary the knitting action of the needles.

5. In a straight knitting machine, the combination of a needle bed, needles mounted thereon, a knitting cam for effecting knitting movement of the needles, reciprocating devices for determining the length of loop formed in knitting, a reciprocating cam for actuating said devices, means for supporting said cam in operative position and being adjustable to uniformly vary the length 01 loops formed by changing the amount of travel of the reciprocating devices, said means including a bar pivotally supported, and means for shifting said bar about its pivot to vary the length of loops formed throughout a knitting stroke of the machine, said last mentioned means being adjustable to control the extent of the variation.

VILSON W. BURSON. 

